Commitments + Core Values
RELATIONSHIPS
We value our relationships. We seek a collaborative environment with our clients, our consultants and those in the building industry.
DELIVERY
We understand that architectural projects are often one part of a bigger picture, with many interdependent and related issues. Budgets and timelines and depending on deliverables are key commitments we take seriously.
KAIZEN
We subscribe to the Japanese philosophy of ‘Kaizen’. Kaizen involves making the work environment more efficient and effective by creating a team atmosphere, improving everyday procedures, ensuring employee engagement, and making the workplace more fulfilling. We are constantly evolving.
COMMUNITY
We embrace and enhance the communities in which we serve. Whether it is our social sustainability agenda, or our buildings that have positive effect on our communities, we believe we are making a difference.
TRANSPARENCY
Our process is open and legible. We share what we are thinking and at the same time listen to what our clients are thinking. Sharing ideas, issues, concerns and information are key ingredients to successful project.
IMPROVEMENT
While we a team that draws on broad experience, at the same time we are always open to learning new things. New ideas and better ways of doing something will often present themselves through the work we do. We take note. We also are continually educating ourselves in the practice of architecture: through industry lead learning courses, to taking advanced classes in the practice of architecture, to learning from our peers in our office peer review program and through our dayto day work, we are always learning something that betters our professional service.
SUSTAINABILITY
We want what we do to leave a positive impact on our communities and the planet. To leave things better than they were.
EQUALITY, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY
As a design firm we celebrate Equality, Inclusivity, and Diversity, and draw inspiration from our team members who are over 50% female with a mix of immigrants and visible minorities. We bring these qualities to every project and value the dignity and independence of people with disabilities in our accessible offices. We like that our team is as diverse as the communities we live in.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We believe that we need to do more than just talk about Equality, Inclusivity, and Diversity in our place of work and in our professional capacity. This means volunteering our time through mentorship and committee engagement for non-profit housing initiatives and supporting charities like the food bank and those improving the quality of life in developing countries.
SUSTAINABILITY
We integrate sustainability into our approach for our new projects and existing buildings, interiors, and renovations, and offer expertise in LEED, WELL, and Passive House benchmarks with in-house expertise, with our sustainability coordinator. We are constantly educating ourselves on the principles of sustainability, energy efficiency, local zoning requirements, and best practices for environmental stewardship in our projects.